Tanks Very Much: Namco’s 'Battalion Blitz'

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There’s nothing like getting behind the wheel of a tank and
letting loose with its raw power. Not that I ever tried,
mind you. But there are plenty of game simulators that give
you the rush of driving one of these mean machines.

"Tank Battalion Blitz" is a pleasant diversion for those who want
their military action simple yet satisfying. What the game lacks
in authenticity, it more than makes up for with plenty to shoot
at, whether you’re on your own or with friends.

You have two primary goals through each of the game’s 130 stages:
protect your home base from incoming attacks, and hunt down all
the enemies scattered in the area. There are quite a few enemies,
as new ones drop in for each one you've destroyed, until the
opposing team’s count is finally depleted.

As you progress through the campaign, you’ll unlock several new
tanks, each with its own abilities. Up to 150 are available in
all, ranging from freebies to a complete pack for $12 (sold from
a virtual vending machine within the game). While the general
rules of combat are the same regardless, entering with more
firepower is hardly a bad thing.

"Tank Battalion Blitz" gives you the option of playing along with
friends. Up to four people can log in to Apple's Game Center to
play online in either competitive (team versus team) or
cooperative affairs.

The only area where "Tank Battalion Blitz" comes up short is
presentation. The design is rather basic, with barely any
complexity to the maps. And the tanks look tiny from a distance.
That said, you’ll be too busy blasting away at enemy armadas to
really care how the game appears.

Unlike the high-priced "SoulCalibur" ($17!), "Tank Battalion
Blitz" brings a big basket of bang for its buck. (Say that five
times fast.) And if you’ve got friends you can bring into
battle, all the better.